Category: Business Advice

Entrepreneurs to share inspiring success stories at Uni event

SABC Secretary

Award-winning entrepreneurs will share their inspiring success stories with students and business people at the annual University of St Andrews Enterprise Week Keynote event on October 7.

 

The free event, open to all, to be held at The Byre Theatre from 5.30pm, will hear Dr Tanya Ewing, Graeme Carling, Daniel Malikzade-Afshar and Juno Lee speak about their experiences, approach and success. It will also begin with 90 minutes of networking.

 

Tanya Ewing is the multiple award-winning tech entrepreneur, inventor, consultant and mentor who invented the Ewgeco smart real-time utility meter so people could more easily see, understand, and control their costs. She continues to champion energy efficiency with her latest venture at Glaze & Save, which focuses on insulating doors and windows in the listed and historic property sector.

 

Graeme Carling is the founder and CEO of Carling Property Group, one of the largest private residential landlords in Scotland, and Infinitas Investment as well as Chief Executive of McGill, which he brought back from the brink after buying it out of administration, creating 50 jobs within five months.

 

Current 3rd Year St Andrews Physics student Daniel Malikzade-Afshar is the founder of local taxi booking platform Yes!Cab, which he created to allow long-established local firms to compete with the giant ride-sharing apps.

 

Juno Lee, is the co-founder of Combini Co a St Andrews-based fast-casual food and beverage company which combines authentic Korean and Japanese flavours with local Scottish produce.

 

St Andrews Business Club has partnered with the Enterprise Week student committee for the third year to help organise the event as part of its commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship.

Networking Opportunities

The event will begin at 5.30pm with networking with students and university staff over drinks, before the presentations begin at 7pm. After each of the presenters has spoken, the audience will get a chance to ask them questions.

 

Speaking about the event, St Andrews Business Club President, Caroline Rochford, said: “We’re delighted to have been asked to contribute to this event for a third year to help inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and business people. The Club welcomes them to any of our own events and we look forward to hearing stories which will doubtless inspire our members too.”

 

Bonnie Hacking, Enterprise & Employability Adviser at the University of St Andrews, says: “We’d like to thank St Andrews Business Club for its continued contribution to this event to promote entrepreneurship in our students and in the local community.”

 

Free tickets for business people should be booked via Eventbrite – for the link go to the Business Club website at www.standrewsbusinessclub.co.uk or the St Andrews Enterprise Week Facebook page, where you can read full details of this event and the rest of the Enterprise week. Students should book via The Byre website.

Marketing In A Modern World

SABC Secretary

By Sanaa Sachdev

Eileen Cooper, the award-winning owner of Limetree Marketing & Business Consultancy, used examples of how brands have adapted their message to the modern world to stimulate thought on marketing in today’s society at the event held by St Andrews Business Club at The Old Course Hotel.

In the first event of the 2019-20 season, Eileen Cooper, the award-winning marketing consultant and owner of Limetree Marketing & Business Consultancy, shared examples of how brands have adapted their message to the modern world to stimulate thought on marketing in today’s society.

 

Eileen has been working in marketing for more than 23 years and has a degree in Business Administration with Marketing, a Diploma in Digital Marketing and is a Fellow of The Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (The IDM).

Among the key points Eileen made were:

  • Be clear on your objectives
  • Identify customer segments and personas
  • Get customers into your Loyalty Loop including reviews
  • Develop a range of content for different tasks
  • Tap into the emotions of your audiences
  • Integrate digital with your other marketing channels
  • Monitor the ROI of all your marketing spend

Thanks to Eileen for sharing her knowledge and experience with us.

For more information about Limetree Marketing & Business Consultancy, visit its website at https://limetreeconsultancy.co.uk/

For more photos, go to the Album  on our Facebook page.

 

NEXT EVENT:  The Club’s next event is Oct 7 University of St Andrews Enterprise Week 2019 – Keynote Event, where St Andrews Business Club has partnered with Enterprise Week Student Committee to hear entrepreneurs from across the UK share their experiences and approach.

Learn from business success stories at St Andrews event

SABC Secretary

North-East Fife business people can learn from others’ success stories at the next event being held by St Andrews Business Club on June 5.

Members of the club, drawn at random on the night, will share their favourite business success story at the event, which non-members are encouraged to attend.

“Given the broad range of sectors and expertise of our members, this will be a great chance to learn useful business tips for the area you work in from other SME business owners and managers, as well as the opportunity to network with members and non-members,” said new club President, Caroline Rochford.

Anyone wanting to attend should book via Eventbrite.

Full details of all the club’s events are available on our Events page.

Learn from business success stories at St Andrews event

SABC Secretary

People doing business in North-East Fife can learn from others’ successes at St Andrews Business Club’s next event on June 5.

 

In the final open event of the club’s season, to be held at the Old Course Hotel from 5.30pm, members will tell attendees about success their business has had and how they can learn from them.

Anyone wanting to learn from these stories, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.

A full list of this season’s events can be found at http://bit.ly/StABCEvents.

Full details of all the club’s events, most of which are now open to non-members, are available on Eventbrite.

Women’s Enterprise Scotland CEO to speak at St Andrews Business Club AGM evening

SABC Secretary
Carolyn Currie​, Chief Executive of Women’s Enterprise Scotland

Women’s Enterprise Scotland Chief Executive Carolyn Currie is the speaker at St Andrews Business Club’s AGM Evening on Wednesday May 15, to which non-members are invited after the AGM formalities.

 

To be held at the Old Course Hotel from 6.15pm, Carolyn Currie will tell attendees about her extensive career at a senior level in financial services and her current work with Women’s Enterprise Scotland.

Achievements

 

Ms Currie has guided the development of global-leading standards for gender equality in business advisor training and digital platform content. She has given evidence to Parliamentary Committees on economic matters, is a founding member of the UK Women’s Enterprise Policy Group, has contributed policy papers to the World Economic Forum in Davos and is a member of the T20, the think tank of the G20.

Anyone wanting to attend is asked to book via Eventbrite.

A full list of this season’s events can be found at http://bit.ly/StABCEvents.

 

Learn how to plan a successful business exit at St Andrews event

SABC Secretary

People doing business in North-East Fife can learn about developing a well-planned exit strategy for their business at St Andrews Business Club’s breakfast event on April 3.

 

In the fourth event of the club’s season, to be held at the Old Course Hotel from 7.30 am, strategy consultant Ewan Menzies will teach attendees many ways to create and find the right strategy for their business using the Concord action-based system for business planning.

The session will be made up of four interactive learning experiences to deliver a successful exit or take your business to the next level.

Experience and Expertise

 

Mr Menzies entered the management sphere in 2000 and has worked for a variety of medium and large organisations in the private, public and third sectors since. He is now Director of Castle Strategy, Mount Parnassus, Concord and CTA Global. Ewan’s specialisms include helping businesses scale and increase profitability and planning an exit strategy.

Anyone wanting to learn about this important business topic for business, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.

A full list of this season’s events can be found at http://bit.ly/StABCEvents.

Full details of all the club’s events, most of which are now open to non-members, and how to join are available on its website at www.standrewsbusinessclub.co.uk and Eventbrite.

Business growth from Research-based Innovation

SABC Secretary

Some of the most commercially-successful innovative products and services we know today have come about as a result of taking research done at universities or in companies to the marketplace.

 

All companies seek to gain sustainable competitive advantage over their competitors through innovation-driven product or service development. Working with a university to use its research to drive that innovation is often cheaper and faster than trying to create the relevant competencies internally.

Dr Lorna Howarth, Knowledge Transfer Advisor for Fife & Tayside, Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) explained how to connect with researchers and have your business benefit from knowledge transfer.

Dr Lorna Howarth, Knowledge Transfer Advisor for Fife & Tayside at Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), explained about KTN and how it can help you connect with researchers and have your business benefit from knowledge transfer.

Paul Kyle of CIK Solutions explained how innovation within business can be funded.

Paul Kyle of CIK Solutions explained how innovation within business can be funded – specifically the value of HMRC’s R&D Tax Credit scheme as a source of funding.

For more information about this subject, you can visit:

This was a joint event with Fife Council Economic Development and Business Gateway Fife. It provides a wide range of support and advice to individuals looking to set up in business, and newly-formed and existing businesses looking to grow and develop. Go to its website for details.

 

For more photos, go to the Album on our Facebook page.

Cyber Resilience

SABC Secretary
Gerry Grant, Chief Ethical Hacking Consultant at Curious Frank, explained how to maximise your cyber resilience, at the event held by St Andrews Business Club at The Old Course Hotel.

How do you minimise the risk of having your business and life disrupted by a hacker or malicious software?

 

Gerry Grant, Chief Ethical Hacking Consultant, at Curious Frank, explained how you can use simple precautions to minimise your risk.

These included:

  • Securing your premises and IT properly
  • Using a strong password
  • Using a password manager
  • Using two-factor authentication
  • Ensuring your computer’s operating system has the latest updates
  • Controlling what information about you is online

For more information about this subject, you should visit the Scottish Business Resilience Centre website.

 NEXT EVENT: The Club’s final event this season is June 27: Business Visit – Eden Campus, Guardbridge (Members & Guests Only)

Member blog – Mhairi Mackenzie Associates

SABC Secretary

People are at the heart and soul of every successful business. However, people matters can be complex, urgent, time-consuming and must be carried out in a legal, professional and ethical manner.

 

The “People Lifecycle” incorporates recruitment, retention, developing, mentoring and coaching staff, diversity & equality, employment law, succession planning right, performance improvement through to exiting employees where necessary – and everything in between!

Some HR matters, such as investigation, should be carried out by an impartial third party, and often the Manager or Business Owner is “too close” to personnel issues to deal with difficult situations effectively and impartially.

Mhairi Mackenzie Associates offers a flexible and cost-effective Consultancy solution for SMEs who have no in-house HR support, or with limited or stretched HR resources. Mhairi operates an independent Scottish consultancy, based in Crail, supporting businesses requiring People support by offering a highly cost-effective alternative to having permanent HR personnel – you only pay for the time required and fees can be structured to make them flexible and affordable. Mhairi is also happy to work in partnership with clients’ HR team members on project work and integrates seamlessly with the clients’ team.

Mhairi Mackenzie Associates Ltd offers a comprehensive range of People Solutions including:

Strategic resourcing incorporating the entire Talent Acquisition Lifecycle including Workforce Talent planning, sourcing to Executive level, Employer Branding, writing adverts and job specifications, screening & interviewing, as well as coaching clients on successful interviewing skills. Mhairi is a results-driven and approachable professional who specialises in resourcing problem solving and filling niche and ‘impossible to fill’ vacancies. Mhairi works in close partnership with clients to ensure she sources candidates who have the right skills for the job and cultural fit for your organisation, meaning they will stay and be successful.

HR Services from employment contracts, staff handbook, compliance, systems/processes, quality, diversity and equality, employment law, investigations, disciplinaries to dismissals and redundancies.

Mhairi is a member of both the Chartered Member of Personnel Development (CIPD) and FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) and offers bespoke support to clients in many capacities, tailored to clients’ specific needs. Mhairi is also a qualified practitioner in behavioural profiling Psychometrics.

Mhairi has worked in Talent Management and HR for more than 20 years and was Managing Director of an oil and gas recruitment business, which she grew from a loss-making position to turnover of £8.6m before relocating to Fife in 2009. Since then, Mhairi has undertaken interim roles helping businesses grow through Organisational Development, becoming more successful through the growth and success of their teams. Mhairi has a wide range of private sector experience from setting up systems and processes and all ‘grass roots systems’ to building strong teams, focused or Organisational Development and Success.

The majority of Mhairi’s business comes from repeat business and client recommendations.
Costs are calculated on a pro-rata day rate basis, providing a cost-effective HR solution tailored to individual business’s needs.

For more information, or to arrange a meeting, please contact Mhairi on 07788 485685 or email mhairi@mhairimackenzieassociates.co.uk
See testimonials at: www.mhairimackenzieassociates.co.uk

Business Breakfast – Sales professional to advise on The Challenge of Sales in the Digital Age

SABC Secretary

People doing business in North-East Fife can learn how to meet the challenge of Sales in the Digital Age from an international sales professional at St Andrews Business Club’s breakfast event on April 25.

In the Club’s first business breakfast of the year, to be held at the Old Course Hotel from 7.30am, Sales Coach Peter Waggott of Vertical Motives, who is an Executive Fellow at the University of Aberdeen and teaches sales to MBA students, will teach attendees how sales has changed in this digital age, how to develop their customer base and move away from ‘solution sales’.

Anyone wanting to learn about this important business topic for business, as well as network, is asked to book via Eventbrite.